


After Hours

by RySenkari



Category: Los Casagrandes (Cartoon), The Loud House (Cartoon)
Genre: Attempted Murder, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Attempted Sexual Assault, Crime, Darkfic, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Robbery, Strong Language, Threats of Violence, Trauma, Violence, darkfic with a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:07:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29655912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RySenkari/pseuds/RySenkari
Summary: Maria and Lori offer to help Bobby by staying up late to clean and prep the mercado for the next day of business, allowing the overworked teen to get some much needed rest. As they work, they get closer than ever, bonding over their shared love for Bobby and the things they have in common. However, the night of camaraderie between the potential future mother and daughter in law is shattered after violent criminals come to rob the mercado. Now facing the most terrifying ordeal of their lives, their relationship is put to the test, especially when one is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice for the other.
Relationships: Lori Loud & Maria Santiago, Lori Loud/Bobby Santiago





	After Hours

It had been quite the first semester for Lori Loud, who'd been attending college at Fairway University for the past six months. She was already the best freshman on the school's top-rated golf team, which was well on its way to yet another national championship, thanks in large part to her prodigious skills. She was learning about golf and about life, and was looking forward to finishing out her freshman year and getting one step closer to her goal of becoming a professional golfer.

Of course, for Lori, the best part about attending Fairway University was getting to spend plenty of time with her boyfriend, Bobby Santiago. He lived nearby in Great Lakes City, and was attending business school part time while working at his family's mercado to learn the tricks of the trade. He worked hard nearly every single day, but Lori's frequent visits kept him going. She was kind, understanding, and encouraging, and the two spent as much time together as their busy schedules allowed.

“Mmm... good night, Boo-Boo Bear,” said Lori, hugging Bobby tightly as he got ready to leave the mercado and head back upstairs to his family's apartment for the evening.

“Night, babe,” replied Bobby, giving Lori a quick smooch on the lips before looking over his shoulder at his mother. She was standing in one of the aisles, gathering up cleaning supplies to tidy up the floor. “Mom, are you sure you want to clean the mercado tonight? You just got off work, you should be resting.”

“And so should you, Roberto,” said Maria, flashing her son a helpful smile. “You've been looking so tired lately, I just wanted to give you an early night tonight.”

“I know, mom, and thanks, but-”

“We'll be fine,” said Lori, holding Bobby's hand. “She's right, you've been really working yourself to the bone this week. Go upstairs and get some rest... that way you'll be ready for our date tomorrow.”

“Okay,” said Bobby, looking a bit guilty but also looking a bit grateful. “Love you, mom! Love you, babe!”

“Love you too, Boo-Boo Bear,” said Lori.

“Love you, Ronaldo... sweet dreams, _mijo_ ,” said Maria, getting up and hugging her son, then watching as he exited the mercado. She then turned to Lori. “You should probably be getting some rest too, dear... don't worry, I can handle a little bit of cleaning.”

Lori shook her head and walked over to Maria, grabbing a broom and looking around the store for anything she could sweep up. She wasn't about to let Bobby's mom do all of this work all by herself, not after she'd spent eight hours working at the hospital and gave up the only night this week that she didn't have a double shift so that she could help her son rest.

“It's okay, I don't mind helping you out,” replied Lori helpfully, a broom in one hand and a dustpan in the other. “Besides, I'm not even tired. I'll sweep up behind the counter, and you can start mopping the aisles. I think cleaning up will be a lot more fun with some company, don't you think?”

Maria had to admit that she'd appreciate the company. She knew it would likely take several hours to get the mercado all tidied up for the next day, and even with the music playing on her phone, she'd have probably been bored to tears by the time she was done. Having Lori around would make the cleaning go a lot faster, and so she accepted Lori's offer... though she doubted her son's headstrong girlfriend would've given her much of a choice.

“Thanks for helping,” said Maria, who was busy spraying down and wiping off some of the store fixtures as Lori got started with her sweeping. “Bobby's always telling me about how supportive you are.”

Lori blushed, always appreciating any sort of compliments from her sweet boyfriend. She was so grateful to have more time to spend with him, and always did her best to be there for him when she could, especially after all the times he'd been there for her.

“He's the best boyfriend ever,” said Lori, using her broom to collect several pieces of trash into her dustpan. “He's always really nice to me, even when I don't deserve it.”

“Oh, Lori, you shouldn't be so down on yourself,” Maria replied. “You're a very kind and responsible person.”

“I haven't always been the kindest,” Lori said with a sigh. “Someetimes I let my temper get the best of me... and I can be a bit bossy... I've coaxed Bobby into doing things that I'm pretty sure he didn't want to do. I'm sure he must've told you about the time I made him drive halfway to Royal Woods after getting his wisdom teeth out, just so we could take a selfie together. I've put him through a lot... I'm surprised he still puts up with me sometimes.”

Maria looked and could see the guilt in Lori's eyes. She remembered that particular incident quite well, and though she hadn't been too happy with Lori, she couldn't hold it against her either. Bobby spent so much time reassuring Maria that everything was okay, and she understood how teenage girls could be sometimes, having been one so many years ago. She also knew that Bobby had put Lori through quite a lot as well... and she also saw the glow in her son's eyes whenever he thought about Lori, and the way his voice sounded so happy when he talked about her. Lori was a good person who made mistakes and had flaws, just like any teenager, and Maria was quick to forgive, especially when she remembered how happy Lori made her son.

“Don't worry,” said Maria reassuringly. “Bobby loves you, and I know you two care about each other. You've both grown up quite a bit in the two years since I've known you. I'm glad you're dating Bobby, and I'm glad you make him so happy.”

Lori blushed softly, beaming again at Maria's kind words.

“He's the sweetest guy in the world,” said Lori with a sigh. “And I know just where he gets it from.”

“Oh, stop,” replied Maria, snickering. “Besides, it's his dad who's the softie. I can be pretty tough when I want to be.”

“So Ronnie Anne's the one who takes after you?”

Maria laughed again.

“Ronalda can be a handful sometimes, but she's a wonderful daughter. I think the divorce was hard on her... I think the reason she was lashing out is because she was having so much trouble making friends. Then your little brother Lincoln came along and I noticed a change in her. Now she has lots of friends... she's doing a lot better.”

The two continued to work together and talk, making sure the mercado was clean and organized for the next day. It had actually been quite a while since Lori and Maria had had a lot of time to catch up, with Maria being so busy at the hospital and Lori working on her studies and competing on her golf team. The two continued to talk about their families, not just Bobby but everyone close to them, with Maria telling stories about her parents and her brother Carlos' family, and Lori sharing all the crazy antics of her sisters and her brother. Despite the 26 year age difference between them, the two had quite a lot in common. They were tough, they were compassionate, and they were hard workers, and seemed to commiserate with each other quite a bit about all the people they had to take care of. As they talked, Lori was reminded of just why she and Maria had clicked so quickly, and Maria was reminded of just how good of a girlfriend Lori was for her son. Even with all her flaws, Lori genuinely cared about Bobby, and wanted to keep him safe and comfortable, just as Maria wanted to.

They worked for several hours, though the hours seemed to pass a lot more quickly with each other's company. They turned on some music and even sang together as they worked, with Maria feeling like she was back in high school with some of her old friends, and Lori feeling like she was truly a part of Maria's big family. Maria had so much in common with Lori's own mother, Rita, and the blonde teenager felt as if she was almost comfortable enough to call this woman “mom” as well.

Of course, some day, Lori knew she would. She'd marry Bobby, and Maria would be her mother-in-law, and she'd gain another big, loving family much like her own. No matter where she was, whether she was with her own family back in Royal Woods, or with Bobby's family in the big city, she'd be surrounded by love, and would be able to have fun with people she truly cared about more than anything in the world.

“Ugh, I can't believe your mom really wanted to move you guys out into the woods!” said Lori, as she scrubbed inside one of the refrigerator units. “If that Ernesto guy hadn't shown up at that rest stop, you'd still be living there!”

“Maybe Carlos and his family would be, but there's no way I'd have let Bobby and Ronnie Anne get dragged out to the middle of nowhere,” said Maria, grunting as she moved a large stack of cereal boxes. “I'd have given mom a day or two to come to her senses before I'd have taken my kids and gotten the hell out of there. I love her, but sometimes she gets way too into her superstitions...”

“Tell me about it,” Lori groaned. “My sister Lynn gets so terrible around hockey season. She makes us do all these crazy rituals... she's calmed down a bit now that they won the title, but I'm glad I'm at Fairway now and I don't have to put up with it quite so much. I love my family with all my heart, and I miss them everyday, but they do drive me up the wall.”

“And sometimes I'm glad I work double shifts at the hospital, even if it's got its own share of craziness. I end up missing a lot of things, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that I've dodged a few bullets.”

Lori and Maria shared another laugh, and as they finished their tasks, they both let out a shared sigh. The mercado looked just about as good as it ever had. Bobby typically missed a few things in his exhaustion every day, but Lori and Maria were quite thorough, especially since they were often too lost in conversation to think about how tired they were. Still, as beads of sweat came down their faces and as they worked to catch their breath, they were both glad that the job was almost done, and after a few last-second spot checks, they'd be ready to go back up into the apartment and rest.

“Whew,” breathed Lori, reaching up to wipe the sweat from her forehead. “Guess we're almost done.”

“Lori, if you'd like, you can sleep in my bed and I'll take the couch.”

  
“Oh, Mrs. Santiago, I couldn't possibly-”

“It's all right, Lori... after today, I think I'm ready to crash just about anywhere, I could fall asleep on the floor if I needed to.”

Lori smiled, walking over and giving Maria a hug. She could sense the fatigue in Maria's embrace, and could see the tiredness in her eyes. She always worked so hard, far harder than Lori had ever worked in her entire life, and even harder than her parents did taking care of her and her siblings. Frequent double shifts at the hospital, and even on a night like tonight, when she only worked one shift, volunteering to help clean up the mercado. She doubted Maria would even change out of her hospital scrubs before passing out on the nearest piece of furniture she could find.

“You need some rest,” said Lori, still hugging Maria tightly.

“Not just yet, we still have to make sure we didn't miss anything.”

“Of course,” Lori replied, releasing Maria from the hug. “Let's make one more sweep.”

As the two began one last check of the mercado, confirming that they'd done a thorough job in getting it ready for the next day, they heard the doorbell ring.

"Funny..." said Maria quietly, looking toward the front door. "I thought the mercado was locked up..."

Lori looked up.

_Bobby?_ she thought, wondering if her boyfriend had perhaps gotten up in the middle of the night and was worried about them.  _Oh, that's so sweet but you really do need to go back to bed!_

But it wasn't Bobby, and a second later, she and Maria learned exactly who had come through the door.

“Hands up, both of you, don't make a fucking sound!”

The gruff voice was coming from behind a black ski mask, belonging to a man standing in front of the door to the mercado. He was accompanied by a slightly shorter man, who was wearing a t-shirt promoting a local sports team, while the taller man was wearing a thick black sweatshirt. Both of them held pistols in their hands, pistols which were currently pointed at both Lori and Maria. Maria let out a gasp, then reluctantly complied... but Lori, though her heart was pounding with fear, wasn't ready to surrender so quickly.

“What the hell do you think you're doing, is this some kind of joke?!”

“Lori!” whispered Maria sharply.

“It's no joke, now get your hands up or I'll shoot you in the face!”

As her mind raced and her heart pounded, as every hair on her body began to stand up, Lori weighed her options. This certainly wasn't a joke... these two masked men were here to rob the mercado, and they didn't look to be very patient. Lori knew that any gunfire would draw attention... but it was also the middle of the night, and the men could easily shoot her and Maria and slip away unnoticed. Resisting was dangerous... and ultimately futile. Lori clenched her fists tightly, ready to defend herself and especially Maria... but it was mostly just an act, trying to make the men back off. They didn't look like they were ready to call her bluff... and then Lori felt Maria's hands softly gripping her arm.

“Lori... they have guns... we can't fight them.”

“But Mrs. Santiago...!”

Maria knew full well that complying had its own share of risks. These men could do anything they wanted... and something told Maria that they weren't just there to rob the mercado. They could've busted in and done that after both of them had gone. They had guns, they had masks... they were ready for a confrontation. They _wanted_ someone to be there. Maria was just glad it wasn't Bobby.

“You better listen to the old bitch and get your hands in the air,” said the man in the t-shirt, walking toward Lori.

“Hey!” Maria said, glaring harshly at the man who'd just disparaged her. “You can't talk to me like that!”  
  


“Lady, I can talk to you any way I want,” said the man, pointing his gun right at her head. Maria continued to glare, but she was clearly trembling... Lori could feel it, and leaned in close to Maria as she started to raise up her hands. “That's it... both of you... hands where we can see 'em.”

As Lori finally complied with the criminal's instructions, she and Maria looked at each other, their eyes saying the same thing.

_It's okay. I'm here._

“All right, let's get you two out of sight,” said the taller man, escorting the two to the counter. “Get down under the counter, let's see what's back here.”

“We don't have very much money here,” said Maria. It was a lie... there wasn't anything in the cash register, but the safe held thousands of dollars. It was on a time lock that would be extremely difficult for the criminals to crack, but if they could, it would be quite the score.

“Bullshit,” said the shorter man, pointing at the door leading to the back room where the safe was. “I bet you got a safe in there, don't you?”

_They've done this before,_ thought Maria. She suddenly felt a harsh shove that nearly knocked her off her feet, and soon, she was on her knees, alongside Lori. There was enough space under the counter for both of them to slide under it on their knees, and the short man indicated with his gun that that's where he wanted them to go. “It's on a time lock, you won't be able to open it.”

“We'll see,” the short man continued. He kept his gun trained on the two hostages, while his partner fished around inside a small bag that they'd brought. “Got something to keep them here while we go looking for a way in that safe?”

“Of course,” he replied, pulling out two pairs of handcuffs. “Hands above your heads, now.”

Lori and Maria looked at each other again. They knew that once they were handcuffed, escape would go from unlikely to impossible... but it's not like they had a lot of choice in the matter.

_This is literally the worst,_ thought Lori, reluctantly putting her hands up again, and watching Maria do the same. The two were kneeling very close, almost facing one another, and she could feel the cold steel of the cuffs being tightened around her wrists, digging into her skin as the chain was placed above a metal bar under the counter. “Mrs. Santiago, I'm so sorry...”

  
“Lori, don't apologize... I should've tried harder to talk you out of staying.”

“What? No, Mrs. Santiago-”

“Hey, I know you two love each other very much... but we're gonna need you to shut the fuck up right now, all right?” asked the taller man, as he finished cuffing Maria's wrists above her head to the pole.

“I dunno, maybe we could have 'em make out,” said the shorter man, keeping his gun trained on them. “They're both pretty good looking, even the old nurse looks pretty hot with all that sweat coming down her face.”

The criminals exchanged a laugh, while Lori and Maria both tested their bonds. The cuffs were so tight that they were already forming bruises on the hostages' skin, and the short chains prevented them from moving their hands very far from their current position, trapped above their heads. They could slide the cuffs freely along the pole, but it was a fairly short pole, so they didn't have much room to maneuver.

But even if they could've moved further along the pole, they were more comfortable close to each other than they were apart. They looked at each other again, and though they were both terrified, both for themselves and for their fellow captive, they also drew comfort from the other's presence. Lori felt safer with Maria, and Maria felt safer with Lori... even if they'd both have done anything to get the other one out of danger.

_Maria, I wish it was me and not you. You should be with Bobby, not trapped with these jerks._

_Lori, if I'd known this was going to happen, I never would have let you stay. You're only here because you wanted to help me... you're in danger because of me._

They wanted to say something to each other, but kept silent as the taller of the two criminals returned with a roll of duct tape that he began using to bind up their legs. Lori winced as she felt duct tape being wrapped around her bare skin, first around her ankles, and then around her thighs, just below the bottom of her shorts. The tape stuck tightly and pinched her skin as it was secured, and Lori trembled, winced, and shot an occasional glare at the man binding her up. After he finished, he moved on to Maria, and her legs were bound just as tightly, thighs and ankles both wrapped. She had her hospital scrubs to protect her bare skin, but she was still uncomfortable as her legs were secured, adding further to her helplessness and driving home the seriousness of the situation.

“So, how do we get in the safe?” asked the short man, pointing his gun at Maria, then pointing it at Lori.

“I told you, it's a timed safe,” replied Maria. “It won't open for anyone, no matter what, until the morning.”

The two criminals looked at each other, then at the door, then at Maria. Meanwhile, Lori and Maria began whispering to each other, with Maria trying her best to calm Lori down and keep her safe.

“Lori, listen to me. Don't try to be a hero. Don't upset them. I'll keep them calm... it's going to be all right.”

“But they'll hurt you! If you don't tell them how to open the safe-”

“I can't, dad wouldn't tell me how to get that safe open in a million years. No matter what happens, I'll protect you.”

  
“Mrs. Santiago, you're Bobby's mom! I have to protect _you_!”

“You're just a teenager, Lori, don't risk your life for me!”

“But-”

“You know what? I believe you, I don't think you know anything about how to open that safe,” said the shorter man. His partner was tearing off another strip of duct tape from the roll he was holding. “So we'll have to figure out a way to open it ourselves. In the meantime, you're both going to stay nice and quiet until we get the money. Then we'll have some _real_ fun.”

“You won't get away with this-” Lori began to say, before she was silenced by a strip of duct tape pressed down tightly over her mouth. “Mmmph!”

“Oh man, just like the cartoons,” said the man who'd just gagged Lori, laughing and tearing off another strip of tape. “Remember how in the old cartoons, when the bitch would say something like 'you won't get away with this!' before the villain shuts her up? I always thought that was really hot.”

“That just gave you a hard-on, did it?” asked his partner with a laugh.

“Yeah, a little bit,” said the criminal, also laughing. Lori shuddered at the crude remark, while Maria simply looked at her with concern. She then looked back up at the criminal, just as he reached down to gag her as well.

“Please, don't hurt Lori,” said Maria quickly. “I'll do anything you want if you promise to leave her completely alone.”

_NO!_ Lori screamed, tugging hard at her cuffs and squirming fiercely.  _Don't you dare offer yourself up for me, don't you dare!_

The taller man didn't press the tape over Maria's mouth just yet. Instead, he took off one of his gloves and rubbed his bare hand on her face. When she tried to turn away, he gripped her with just enough force to make her look back up at him. She trembled, her eyes quivering with defiance and fear.

“You're not bad looking,” said the criminal, continuing to use his thumb to stroke Maria's face. She continued to shiver, wanting to vomit as his rough hand stroked her tender skin, but instead of trying to turn away again, she looked into his eyes and even slightly nuzzled his hand with her cheek, hoping to attract him to her and away from Lori. “You got a husband?”

“We're divorced,” she said, her voice a weak, trembling whisper.

“Damn, that's a shame... what a dumbass to give up a cutie like you. Mmm... well, I bet I could please you a lot better than he ever did.”

Maria clenched her fists tightly. She could hear Lori screaming and struggling, and wanted to block it out... wanted to block everything out: her fear, her disgust, her urge to kick this disgusting pervert right between the legs... not only was he degrading her, not only had he threatened Lori, but he was also insulting her ex-husband, the father of her kids, a good man who, even though she no longer felt romantic love for him, was still her friend and who she still cared deeply for.

“...I'm... sure you could,” said Maria, still looking up into the eyes of a man she hated to protect someone she loved.

“We'll see,” he replied, before putting his glove back on and pressing the strip of tape down tightly over Maria's mouth. She continued to look up at him, her eyes begging him to leave Lori alone. She then looked at Lori, who was trembling with rage and already had tears coming down her cheeks.

_Don't let him touch you!_ Lori muffled into her gag, begging Maria not to keep trying to protect her.

Maria didn't try to muffle anything back to Lori... she only gave her a look of concern, as if to say that she'd never let anything happen to her, and that she didn't want Lori's first time to be with some disgusting scumbag robber.

If only she knew how close Lori and Bobby had already gotten... whatever happened in that mercado, it wouldn't be Lori's first time, and hopefully, wouldn't be her last. Hopefully they could make it out of this, hopefully they could see their friends and family again... but right now, they were both in terrible danger. The criminals were no longer pointing guns at them... there was no need, with their captives now tightly bound and gagged. They continued to stand over the two women, menacing them with their mere presence, enjoying their struggles and fearful looks and trying to figure out their next course of action.

“We'd better get to cracking that safe,” said the tall man, looking at a page on his phone. “Depending on the model, I think I've got a few ways we can get inside.”

"Shame we can't spend more time with you two cuties," said the man in the t-shirt, laughing as he leaned down and touched Lori's face. Lori glared defiantly at him, her eyes narrowed with rage.

_Fuck you!_ she shouted through her gag, prompting a laugh.

“Maybe later,” he chuckled. His partner, meanwhile, had put away his phone, and had turned his attention back toward Maria, whose chest was heaving as she began to breathe heavily through her nose.

“Why not now?” asked the tall man, before reaching down and groping one of Maria's breasts. Maria let out a gasp and then a snarl, and Lori, who was already upset, turned furious, her white-hot rage showing as she struggled in the cuffs as hard as she could and even tried getting her kneeling legs out from under her to kick at the man who was groping Maria.

_Don't you DARE touch her, you son of a bitch!_ screamed Lori, her arms jerking violently up and down as she tried to break the chain on the cuffs. The chain clanked against the bar, but neither it nor the chain broke, even with Lori giving it everything she had. Though Maria was furious as well, she was trying her hardest not to react. She wanted Lori to calm down, but the more she was groped, the harder Lori struggled.

“Mmm, this one's feisty,” said the tall man, distracted from his actions by Lori's struggles. He lifted his hand from Maria's chest and turned to grope Lori as well.

Just as Maria started to let out an angry protest, the criminal's arm was grabbed by his partner, just short of his hand reaching Lori's breast.

"Not until we get the money," he said. "Then maybe if there's time we can have a little party, huh?"

The two criminals laughed, while Lori and Maria exchanged a terrified look. Their suspicions seemed to be right... these guys weren't just here for money. They wanted something else, and after they got their money, they'd likely come back for it... and neither one of the two helpless captives was safe.

Their defiant, angry glares faded quickly, replaced by frightened expressions, tear-filled eyes, and quickened breathing. The criminals gave them one last look, but instead of making any more crude remarks, they walked away, leaving the two to struggle in their bindings as they went to find and open the safe. After watching them leave, Lori and Maria resumed their struggles, and gave each other another worried look. They could see the terror in each other's eyes, and though they couldn't vocalize their feelings, they knew exactly what the other one was thinking. Lori was scared... but as scared as she was, Maria was even more so. Maria's motherly instincts had already kicked in, and more than anything, she was terrified for Lori.

And while Lori kept struggling, grunting and screaming as she tugged at the chain securing her handcuffs together, Maria stopped and looked at her... then, she leaned in and nuzzled Lori's cheek. Lori stopped struggling almost immediately, and Maria continued to nuzzle her, trying her best to comfort the girl as tears from Lori's eyes mixed with tears from Maria's.

_It's going to be all right,_ Maria muffled to her, calmly looking up into her eyes. Lori whimpered softly, and Maria nuzzled her again, even softer this time.  _I'm right here._

Lori sobbed, her mind once more flooding with guilt and with concern for Maria. She'd been slightly comforted by the kind gesture, but she knew what she had to do, and a few moments later, she steeled herself and started struggling again.

_I'll get us out of this,_ thought Lori, and repeated it through her gag. She tugged futilely at the cuffs, trying to break the chain. Failing that, she gave a loud cry of frustration, and tugged at the cuffs again. She tried twisting her wrists in them to slide out, but they were much too tight, and Lori could feel the metal digging into her skin. She screamed again, another tear falling down her face as she tugged at the cuffs and clenched her fists tightly to fight off the pain of struggling.

_Lori, don't burden yourself with this. This is my struggle, not yours. Please, calm yourself... I know you're brave and I know you're strong, but I'm the reason you're here... let me save you._

Maria then started to struggle herself, pulling hard at the chain and trying to get enough slack in her cuffs to wiggle her hands free. Like Lori, Maria had small hands, and she thought that if she got enough sweat on her wrists, she could try to squirm out. She twisted them and kept fighting, her hair already matted with sweat from her earlier exertions in cleaning the mercado. For several minutes, she and Lori fought hard, as hard as they could, struggling in the cuffs and also crying out, hoping someone outside might hear. They worried that if they yelled too loudly, the criminals might hear them and punish them, but there was no sign of their captors anywhere, and they both felt free yelling as loud as they could, even with the stifling tape in the way.

As sweat continued to roll down their faces, Maria got an idea. She began to rub her cheek against Lori's again, this time not to comfort her, but to try and work a corner of the tape off their mouths. She knew that the tape was extremely sticky, but if they could just work off a little bit, they could move their faces the rest of the way to get it all the way off. Lori was a bit perplexed as she felt Maria's face rub against hers, but as Maria began talking to her, saying 'the gag, the gag' over and over again, Lori realized what her fellow captive was trying to do.

_Of course! We'll get this tape off and yell for help... I just hope I can work it a little bit loose._

Though it was a bit awkward rubbing their faces together, especially when their taped lips brushed, the two kept at it without pause or worry, not letting those small concerns stop them from trying to get their mouths free. They tried to rub their cheeks on one side of the tape for a time, then switched to the other side, all the while trying to open their mouths and push their tongues past their sealed up lips. This tape was different from normal duct tape though... it wasn't budging, not even a bit, and no matter how much they tried getting their tongues out to poke it off, they couldn't move their lips apart even a fraction of an inch.

_This tape is so sticky..._ thought Maria, comparing it to the high-strength medical tape they used to seal up wounds at the hospital.  _Whenever it comes off, it's going to hurt like hell. Poor Lori... it's right on her bare legs..._

Lori was thinking the same thing, and was thankful that she kept her legs frequently waxed... though she had a feeling having this tape ripped off later would've had the same effect regardless. She too felt a bit awkward rubbing her face up against Maria's, and could feel her face heating up as a blush passed over her cheeks. For a second, she thought that she wouldn't have minded being in such a situation with Bobby, but she dismissed that thought from her mind. She wouldn't wish this situation on anyone. Not Maria and especially not Bobby, who she knew wasn't as emotionally strong as his mother.

They continued to rub their faces together, and even though they were both working furiously to remove their gags, knowing time was against the essence, it was a strangely comforting sensation for them whenever the bare skin of their cheeks made contact. Lori could feel Maria's motherly compassion, and Maria could feel Lori's devotion and strength. At times, Lori could sense the presence of both Bobby and her own mother in Maria, and Maria felt a sense of motherly warmth whenever she felt Lori brushing against her.

They kept at this for some time, even after both of them knew that the tape wasn't about to come off. They almost stopped caring, feeling enough comfort in each other's presence to accept whatever was going to happen... but at the same time, it was also enough to keep them struggling. For Lori and Maria, knowing that whatever happened to them was also going to happen to the person with them was too much of a terrible thought to bear, and it kept them fighting, if not for themselves, then for each other.

Finally, both of them seemed to realize that their struggling was pretty much pointless. Nothing worked. The cuffs didn't break, the tape didn't split, the gags didn't budge. They finally parted from each other, and exchanged another look of fear and concern. They wanted to say so much to each other, but all they had to communicate with was their eyes and what little they could understand of each other's muffled whimpering. A single tear fell down Lori's face as she looked into the eyes of the woman she hoped to call her mother someday. Maria was trying to fight off the tears, knowing how much pain they caused Lori, but she too was unable to keep a couple of them from falling down her cheek.

Lori clenched her fists as she watched Maria shed those tears. She wanted so badly to get free and save her... she would have given up anything to be able to do so.

_Mrs. Santiago, I... I won't let them hurt you. You're such a kind and giving person. I know that's where Bobby gets it from. You're the strongest person I've ever met. Bobby and Ronnie Anne have such a good mother, and... I hope someday I'll be able to call you mom too. I'm sorry I couldn't stop those robbers. I know they have guns and everything, but I'd rather die than let them hurt you! I promise I'll get us out of this._

Despite her own sadness and fear, Maria leaned over and nuzzled the tear away from Lori's cheek, not caring about the tears falling down her own. She began to talk to her, even with the tape sealing her lips, she called out to Lori, telling her over and over again that everything was going to be all right, that she would keep her safe... and she even told Lori that she loved her.

_Lori... oh, Lori, thank you for being such a good girlfriend to Bobby. You've grown so much this last year, I can tell. You've gotten so patient and mature, and I have no doubt that if you and Bobby stay together, you'll make a wonderful wife and mother. A better one than me, in fact. I'd be so proud to call you my daughter someday. I might not be as strong as I used to be, but I hope I can be strong enough to protect you._

As soon as Lori heard Maria saying that she loved her, she let out a sob and leaned forward, her forehead collapsing into Maria's. Maria rubbed her forehead against Lori's, looking into her eyes and repeating her reassurances from before, as Lori continued to sob violently.

_Lori... tu dulce ángel valiente... I'm here... I'll keep you safe... I promise._

Then, Maria started to hum a lullaby, the one she always used to sing for Bobby and Ronnie Anne when they were sad and scared. She continued to hum for Lori, tears slowly coming down her cheeks, until Lori started to calm down. Maria kept humming even after Lori had stopped crying, and kept her forehead pressed against Lori's, trying her very best to soothe the trembling girl, even as her own fears ran wild inside her mind.

Lori looked into Maria's eyes, and flashbacks of their time together began to play in her memories. She'd liked Maria from the moment she met her, she'd liked her so much that she'd given her her great-grandmother Harriet's prized brooch as a birthday present. Maria was everything Lori wanted to be when she grew up... smart, kind, hard-working, level-headed... the one thing Lori would've wanted that Maria didn't have was more time with her family, and even then, Lori knew why Maria had to spend so much time away.

_I love you too, Maria,_ Lori muffled to her. It was the first time she'd ever called her by her first name instead of 'Mrs. Santiago', but she felt such a kinship with her at this point that she couldn't think of calling her anything else. 

Maria looked into Lori's eyes, and managed a smile under the tape. She then leaned up and pressed her taped lips against Lori's forehead.

_Lori, let me protect you. I beg of you. If something happens to me, you have to take care of Bobby._

As if reading Maria's thoughts, Lori shook her head.

_Maria, you still have so many good years left with your family. I'll make sure you get to have them, even if I have to give up my life._

The situation seemed bleak, but they would fight for each other until the bitter end. Maybe someone would come to help them. Bobby, or even Ronnie Anne, though Maria prayed that neither of them would get involved in this. Maria feared for her entire family, upstairs in the apartment... she prayed that the two robbers wouldn't go up there if they couldn't get the safe open.

And as Lori and Maria comforted each other, ready to die for one another if they had to, they could hear footsteps coming their way. Still nuzzling their faces together, they looked up toward the sound, and could see the two men walking toward them. The taller man's bag now bulged a bit fuller than it had before.

_They got the money,_ thought Maria, allowing a bit of relief to creep into her thoughts.  _Maybe they'll leave us alone. Please, just let them leave us alone._

“You guys had $6,900 in that safe,” said the tall man, dropping the heavy bag down on the counter. “Nice.”

Maria and Lori, despite their generational difference, both got the reference. They glared harshly at the robbers, trying their best not to show any fear. The short man leaned down toward them, looking them both over with lustful eyes. The two captives were breathing heavily, and Lori, determined to keep a brave appearance, continued to struggle, and muffled a quiet 'don't you fucking dare' under her gag.

“So, since we got that safe open so quickly, I think we've got a little time for some fun, what do you say?” asked the short man, who started removing his gloves, as his partner began to remove his own. “Who wants to go first?”

The revelation that the robbers indeed wanted to sexually assault them sent chills down the spines of both captives, and for a moment, they both froze, eyes wide with terror and filling with tears. The two robbers laughed, seeing their victims in the exact state they wanted them in... but quickly, Lori and Maria regained some of their resolve, and they began protesting. They screamed into their gags as loud as they could, both of them swearing furiously. They called out for help, they threatened the criminals, they both started to struggle and kick, anything they could do to keep from being seen as easy prey.

_You motherfuckers, if you lay one hand on Maria, I'll literally kill you! I swear to god, I'll rip your dicks off and shove them down your own throats!_

_Cowardly fucking pendejos, vete a la chingada! If you hurt Lori, I'll tear you both to pieces!_

The loud swearing and angry threats just made the criminals laugh even more... if anything, they seemed to enjoy their captives' anger even more than their fear.

“They're both feisty, that means they've got lots of energy for...” the tall man didn't finish speaking, he just thrust his hips repeatedly, right at Maria's face. She recoiled, and went silent, realizing that she and Lori were about to be victimized in a most horrible fashion. Lori was still fighting and struggling hard, but as she saw Maria go silent, the color drained from her face, and she started to remember just where she was and that it would be impossible to stop what was coming next.

“All right, let's get this over with, who's first?” said the shorter man, before kneeling down next to Lori. “Mmm, you know it's you, pretty girl.”

The robber started to lift up Lori's top, and Lori shrieked, trying to kick up at him only for his strong legs to pin hers down. She struggled violently, screaming 'no!' at the top of her lungs, the bar above her head clanging repeatedly as she fought to break her wrists free. Maria also started screaming and struggling, and the tall man watched her for a moment before kneeling down next to his partner to watch as Lori's lacy white bra was exposed.

“Think we should tear off that tanktop,” the tall man said. His partner nodded, and released it for a moment, letting it fall back into place and giving Lori's modesty a brief reprieve. Maria continued to cry out, hearing Lori breathing heavily and whimpering behind them.

_I can't let this happen, I have to do something!_ thought Maria. She knew that trying to slam into them wouldn't work... she wouldn't be able to stop them physically. She'd have to lure them away.

“All right, let's get all these clothes off her,” said the short man, holding up a box cutter. Lori screamed, and he started to move the blade toward her top.

_Wait, don't!_ Maria shouted, trying her best to be heard over Lori's screams.  _Take me first, I'll do anything!_

The short man wasn't deterred, but the taller man, who had more of an attraction to Maria, turned toward her. She looked up at him, giving him her best pleading expression, and instead of struggling, she tried to move her upper body in a way that might please him.

_I'll do anything you want, don't touch her, please!_

“Hey, wait a minute,” said the taller man, tapping his partner's shoulder just as he was preparing to cut Lori's top off. As the man turned around, Maria started to move again, wiggling and thrusting her chest forward and trying her best to show herself off for them both.

_I won't fight back. I'll give you everything you want._

_No...!_ Lori whimpered, though she was also still terrified and shaking from nearly having her clothes cut off by one of the men.  _Maria, NO!_

“Eh, she's not nearly as hot as the blonde, you know that,” said the short man.

“Yeah, but there's something nice about a pretty, mature woman, you know? She's probably done it a lot more...”

“True... but she's also old and used up.”

“She's not that old. What is she, like forty? That's pretty hot, a lot of real hot actresses are older than that.”

The shorter man laughed as his partner tried to persuade him to focus on Maria. Meanwhile, Lori was trying her best to lure them the other way, but as she tried to move like Maria, her struggles and screams came off as far more desperate, and were doing little to lure the men away. The tall man touched Maria's face again, looking into her eyes. She looked back up at him, her own eyes narrowing as she fought every instinct in her body, every alarm bell in her mind telling her to be repulsed and disgusted. She gave him a quiet moan.

“Tell me what you're gonna let me do to you,” he said, rubbing his thumb across her taped lips. “Tell me like that tape wasn't there.”

Maria began to muffle all sorts of obscene things to the man, talking as dirty as she could, fighting back the tears and disgust. As she did, she thought she could hear her captor moaning, and she quivered, swallowing the bile that had worked its way into her throat as she remembered that everything she was doing was to protect Lori.

“Hey, let's do her first,” said the tall man to his partner.

“Fine,” groaned the short man, looking over at Lori. “Looks like you got a break... you can thank your mom here, or whoever this bitch is... you must mean an awful lot to her for her to put herself in the way like that, huh?”

Lori let out a cry of despair, sobbing violently into her gag and bowing her head. Maria called out to her, muffling that everything would be all right, even though she knew it wouldn't be.

_Just don't hurt Lori,_ Maria said under her gag, looking at them both.  _I'll do everything with a smile, just don't hurt Lori._

“Tell you what, you wear us both out enough and we won't even have enough energy left for the blonde bitch,” said the tall man, before leaning in and forcing a kiss on Maria's taped mouth, a kiss she reluctantly returned. “And you don't have to smile.”

“Yeah, when it's my turn I'd prefer you didn't,” said the short man with a laugh. “Tell you what, buddy, you go first and me and this sexy babe-”

_DON'T YOU EVER FUCKING CALL ME BABE!_ Lori screamed, loud enough to hurt her throat. She swung her head wildly at him, but missed badly, and could then feel herself being tightly held in place.  _DON'T TOUCH ME!_

“Me and this sexy slut will just watch,” said the criminal, before smirking at Lori. “Bet you'd rather me call you 'babe' now, huh?”

_You have no IDEA what that word means to me you sick fuck,_ thought Lori, saying nothing but giving the man her fiercest death glare.  _When this is over, I'm going to kill you. I don't care if I have to do it right in the fucking courtroom during your rape trial, I'm going to grab the gun from the first cop I see and blow your goddamn brains out!_

Lori had never had such violent thoughts before, but these robbers, soon to be rapists, filled her with such an all-consuming rage that she could do nothing but hate them, nothing but think of ways to hurt them for what they were about to do to Maria... and soon, she knew, what they were about to do to her. She thought back to before, when the robbers first showed up. Lori had a chance to fight them off then, but backed down... backed down because Maria had told her to back down.

Lori didn't blame Maria for that. She could never have blamed Maria for that. She blamed herself.

_I gave up too easily, and now... now we're about to be..._

Maria was just looking at Lori, begging her to stay calm, even as she felt one of the taller man's bare hands traveling up the inside of her top.

“Let's see what we've got to work with here,” he said to Maria, as he knelt down behind her and continued feeling her up. His hand continued to move up, sliding under her bra, and she winced and turned her head. The assailant could feel Maria's heart pounding under her bare breast as he began to grope it, and she whimpered softly, which caused him to grope her again, harder this time. “Heh.... these don't feel like forty year old tits.”

_STOP IT!_ screamed Lori. She lunged forward, only to be held back by the man sitting next to her, restraining her as she fiercely struggled.  _Don't touch her you fucking perverts! Don't touch her! I'll kill you!_

Maria could then feel the man's other hand traveling below, inside her waistband, sliding into her panties. She closed her eyes, blinking back a fresh wave of tears.

“You can cry if you want, but I want you to moan too, understand?” said the taller man, moaning again as his hand brushed against Maria's most intimate place.

Maria had never been so ashamed, horrified, and disgusted, and she felt more bile traveling into her throat. Part of her feared choking, as with her mouth tightly sealed, there was nowhere for it to go. Part of her wanted to choke, to pass out, let the world fade away, and not feel any of this... but then she knew she'd be condemning Lori to this, to far worse than this... and she swallowed again, before forcing herself to moan.

Upon hearing Maria's first forced moan, Lori shrieked and lunged forward. She aimed a kick at the head of the criminal groping Maria, and nearly struck him. She could feel a hand around her throat, and the man it belonged to violently admonishing her to stop fighting. She continued to kick, only for her legs to be roughing pinned down, and for the admonition to get even stronger, and for the hand around her throat to tighten. Maria watched and cried out, begging them to stop hurting Lori, begging Lori to stop trying to save her.

_No! No, Maria, I won't stop fighting!_

“Maybe we should just get this over with,” said the short man, turning toward Lori and removing his hand from her throat. “She's gonna wear herself out, I want her to have some fight left when we do this.”

_Lori, stop, I can handle this!_ Maria begged, still trying to call out to her.

“You're gonna stop, or she's gonna die,” said the shorter man, looking down into Lori's eyes. “You're gonna stop and watch and do nothing, and if you fight back, I'll grab the gun from the counter and shoot her in the head, and then we're both gonna have our way with you. Understand?”

Lori shook violently, her body coursing with adrenaline. Her fists were so tightly clenched that they were completely white, and a trickle of blood was running down onto her left hand, from where she'd cut her skin struggling against the cuffs. 

“Nod your head if you understand.”

Lori looked at him, and then at the other criminal... and then at Maria, whose entire face was covered in sweat and tears. Their eyes met one more time, and Lori sobbed out an apology to her, before looking up at her captor and nodding her head in resignation.

_I'll never forgive myself for letting this happen to you..._ thought Lori, blinking back tears as the taller man resumed, his hands traveling under Maria's clothes. She continued to moan for him, but only to satisfy him in a desperate hope to protect Lori. Lori knew that every grope, every forced moan, the eventual rape, all of it was to protect her, and all of it was for nothing.  _After he's done with her, they're both going to take me. I know they are. ...and I know you're going to blame yourself even more than I'm blaming myself for letting it happen to you._

For several minutes, Maria's body was invaded by the criminal's hands, her ears invaded by degrading words directed at her. She refused to submit her mind to him, but she knew she had to give him something, and so she continued to writhe in such a way that let him think he was turning her on... though all the while, she was as furious and angry as Lori. If she was free, if there were no guns involved, she'd have punched and kicked and hurt her assailant as much as she could... it took everything she had not to break down sobbing. She tried to stay strong for Lori, tried to put on a show for the twisted criminals who were assaulting her... knew her ordeal was only just beginning.

“You feel so good,” said the taller man, withdrawing his hands from Maria. “But I know this is about to feel even better... for both of us. How long has it been since you and your husband last did it, huh?”

Maria, shivering with rage and fear, looked up at the man, unable to keep the look of pure disgust and hatred from her face.

_What the fuck is wrong with you?_ she thought, no longer caring about pretending to be aroused. She hated his guts and she wanted him to know it. 

And Lori, who'd been forced to watch the obscene display in silence for the last several minutes, was shaking as well, barely able to contain her own anger. She was still being held in place, and she'd felt the shorter man's hands occasionally groping her above her clothes, but she didn't care about any of that... all she cared about was Maria and keeping her safe, and she knew she was about to fail in that endeavor.

_Maria... I'm so sorry... I'm so, so sorry..._

“Well, let's do this,” said the taller man, climbing on top of Maria and reaching his hand inside her top again. He leaned in to kiss her, and she reluctantly let him... knowing that he was soon about to do far worse. “And when we're doing it, I want you to tell me how much better I am than your husband...”

He leaned in and whispered in Maria's ear.

“You do that and make me believe it and you have my word I won't let my buddy fuck the other girl, understand?”

Maria nodded instantly, without even having to think about it. She didn't care what she had to say, or even that he probably wasn't telling the truth... even after everything, she'd agree to anything to protect Lori.

“I'll probably have to let him fuck you though,” the man whispered, laughing before starting to pull down Maria's pants. “Don't worry, I'm bigger.”

Maria quivered and closed her eyes, and could hear Lori screaming again. She hoped it would be over soon. She hoped the man about to rape her would keep his word. She started to pray.

_Please..._

A skateboard crashed through the window of the mercado. The shattered glass was accompanied by a loud alarm.

“What the fuck?!” shouted the shorter man, releasing Lori and standing up straight. At the same time, the taller man tried to stand, only to bang his head hard into the counter.

“FUCK!” he screamed, before standing up as well, his fly still unzipped. Maria and Lori both craned their heads, trying to figure out what was going on, but they couldn't lift their heads above the counter.

Instead, the loud shout they heard instantly signaled to them exactly what had happened.

“Hey you goons, get out of the mercado!” shouted Ronnie Anne, standing on the sidewalk outside. Standing next to her was Bobby, though he looked a lot more frightened than she was. “That alarm means the cops are three minutes away! Maybe less!”

_Ronnie Anne?_ thought Maria, whose fear climbed to a level even higher than when she was about to be assaulted.  _Oh, God, no!_

_Ronnie Anne?!_ muffled Lori, who looked up and saw both criminals grab their guns out of the bag.  _RONNIE ANNE, GET OUT OF HERE!_

Lori and Maria both screamed at the top of their lungs, loud enough even with their gags to be heard outside. However, their screams had the opposite effect... instead of driving Ronnie Anne and her brother away, it only beckoned them closer.

“Mom?!”

“Lori?!”

As Ronnie Anne and Bobby rushed into the mercado, the two criminals both pointed their guns at them. Bobby stopped in his tracks, while Ronnie Anne hesitated... but then, as she heard her mom cry out again, she kept going.

“LET MY MOM GO!” shouted Ronnie Anne, picking up her skateboard.

“You little shit-” was all the tall man was able to get out before Ronnie Anne smashed her skateboard across his kneecaps. He screamed in pain and fell to one knee, his gun dropping uselessly to the ground.

“Mom, where are you? Lori?!” Ronnie Anne called out, unaware that the shorter of the two criminals now had his gun leveled at her head. “Mom?”

_RONALDA!!!_ Maria screamed, fighting against her cuffs so hard that blood instantly began trickling from both her arms as the metal sliced her skin. Lori was fighting almost as hard, terrified for both Bobby and Ronnie Anne as she heard them struggling with the criminals.

“Ronnie Anne!”

Bobby lunged into the criminal just as he fired his weapon. The bullet came out, but missed Ronnie Anne's head by an inch and embedded itself into some shelving. Bobby tried to wrestle the gun out of the man's hand, but was suddenly smacked across the face by it, badly bruising his cheek.

“Asshole!” the criminal said, swinging the gun at Bobby's head again, only to be suddenly punched in the face by Bobby. The punch did little to deter the hardened criminal, and he pistol whipped Bobby a second time, knocking him to the ground. As Bobby lay injured. Ronnie Anne rushed to his side. The criminal pointed his gun at Bobby's head, and as Ronnie Anne lunged at him, she was tripped up by the taller criminal, who had recovered from the kneecapping. 

“Let's get out of here,” said the man's partner, walking over to the counter and grabbing the bag full of money.

“Not yet,” said the shorter man, pointing his gun at Bobby's head and putting his finger on the trigger.

“No!” shouted Ronnie Anne, picking herself up from the ground.

Meanwhile, Maria was shrieking loudly, her face streaked with tears, her legs kicking wildly in her struggles. She cried out, more terrified than she'd ever been, her heart torn in two as she heard the pain and fear in her children's voices.

_NO! DON'T HURT THEM! PLEASE! DON'T YOU DARE! RONALDA! ROBERTO! NO! NO!!!_

Lori was struggling just as hard, screaming almost as loudly, tears flooding her face.

_BOBBY! RONNIE ANNE! NO! NO!_

Ronnie Anne clung tightly to Bobby, holding onto him and looking up at the criminal, begging him not to shoot her brother. Bobby looked up at him, calling out to his mother as he listened to her screams.

The chain connecting Lori's handcuffs to the bar snapped. Her legs and mouth still taped, Lori lunged over the counter and tackled the criminal, grabbing his gun and trying to tear it away from him. He yanked it away from her, and Lori, tripped up by her bound thighs and ankles, very nearly fell, but using all of the strength in her legs, she leaped forward and kept him from firing. He wrestled his gun away from her again, and finally managed to knock Lori away with a shove, pushing her to the ground next to Bobby and Ronnie Anne. As the criminal regained his bearings and prepared to finally fire, Lori ripped the tape from her legs and mouth, determined to take another lunge at him. Just as she freed her legs the rest of the way, he pointed his gun at her head, and Lori's eyes went wide for a moment, knowing she couldn't stop him.

“It's not worth it!” shouted the tall man, who was standing next to the broken mercado window with the bag of money. Already, police sirens could be heard blaring. “The cops'll be here in a few seconds, we gotta go!”

“Yeah, whatever,” said the short man, reluctantly putting his gun away instead of firing. He started to leave as Lori sat there on the floor next to Bobby and Ronnie Anne, trembling in shock and anger. After he and his partner finally left, Lori felt her rage well up, and she stood back up and stormed after the criminals, grabbing cans from the mercado shelves to throw at them.

“FUCK YOU!” screamed Lori at the top of her lungs, hurling cans down her street at the robbers as they fled. “FUCK YOU, YOU ASSHOLES!”

Bobby stood up and held Lori, trying to stop her, but Lori, remembering how one of the robbers had restrained her as his partner groped Maria, twisted angrily away from him.

“DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!” Lori screamed at Bobby, before continuing to run out the door after the criminals, hurling cans and anything else she could get her hands on, before collapsing in front of the mercado's shattered window, convulsing with sobs. Immediately, Bobby fell upon her, and Lori hugged him, continuing to sob into his chest, unable to say even a single word. As Bobby struggled to comfort Lori, Ronnie Anne ran behind the counter.

“Mom!”

Maria was still kneeling where the criminals had left her, wrists cuffed above her head, legs and mouth duct taped. Her head was bowed, and she looked like she had passed out... but when Ronnie Anne approached, Maria lifted her head and looked up at her.

_Mija...?_ Maria muffled, trembling as she laid eyes on Ronnie Anne. 

“Mom... oh god, mom...!”

Ronnie Anne reached up and removed the duct tape from Maria's mouth, then held her in a tight embrace as both of them sobbed. Outside, Bobby continued to comfort the sobbing Lori as several police cars pulled up to the mercado, while at the same time, the entire Casagrande family had woken from their sleep and had come outside to see what had happened. 

In one way, Maria and Lori's ordeal was over. In other ways, it was just beginning.

O-O-O

The police investigation was as short as it was effective. Despite the criminals being masked, Lori and Maria were able to provide enough details about them for the cops to recognize them both from prior arrests, and they were soon found and arrested on multiple serious charges. The money from the safe was recovered, and the criminals both plead guilty and jailed for many years... longer even than the trauma endured by their victims.

The two women had gone through a terrifying ordeal, and it would take them years to fully recover, though eventually, both of them would, and even sooner than that, would resume their lives as normal. Bobby and Ronnie Anne would also need many months of therapy, and Ronnie Anne would have nightmares for years about what might've happened had she not gotten up for a glass of water, if she hadn't noticed that her mom and Lori hadn't come back up from the mercado, if she hadn't thought to wake Bobby... but all four of them, Lori, Maria, Ronnie Anne, and Bobby, had each other, and had so many others who cared about them, and thanks to their support system, all of them would be okay in the end.

Maria was given two months off from her job to recover and to spend time with her family. She spent time with all of them... her parents, her brother, his family... but mostly her children, going out with them almost every day. When the trauma from her experience kept her instead, Bobby and Ronnie Anne stayed inside with her. Arturo was there for her too, and though the two remained nothing more than friends, Maria had no friends who were closer, and the two spent more than one occasion just crying into each other's arms until both of them fell asleep on a couch.

Maria also spent a lot of time with Lori, the person with whom she'd shared her traumatic ordeal. They talked frequently about what had happened, and told each other everything that the tape had kept them from saying, and more. Lori and Bobby had saved each other's lives... Maria hadn't seen it, but she'd heard it, and both of them had told her, each one giving far more credit to the other than to themselves. Even if Lori and Bobby hadn't stayed together (which, of course, they did), Maria would always consider Lori family and think of her like a daughter, and Lori would always think of Maria as a second mother. Maria would come to spend almost as much time with Lori in the months immediately following the incident as she did with her two children... and thankfully, most of the time, she didn't have to choose.

A few weeks after the robbery, Maria, Bobby, Ronnie Anne, and Lori were all sitting on the couch together in the apartment. The rest of the Casagrande family had gone out to eat, giving the four the evening to themselves. They'd just finished watching a movie, and were now curled up in a blanket, with Maria holding her two children close and Lori leaning into Bobby, who had one arm around his mother and one arm around her. They'd been talking about the robbery, but trying to keep things as light as they could, wanting to work through their trauma but also trying not to make themselves upset.

“So, Ronnie Anne, did you and Lincoln talk about what happened?” asked Maria. She knew that Lori and Lincoln had already discussed the robbery, but was curious to know if Lincoln and Ronnie Anne had talked about it, knowing how close the two of them had become.

“Yeah, me and Lincoln and Sid sat down together and talked,” Ronnie Anne replied. “They were both super supportive... Lincoln was really mad that those guys hurt you and Lori and knocked me and Bobby down.”

“Lincoln really likes you,” said Lori with a smile. “He was probably trying to be all tough for his girlfriend.”

“Oh come on, Lori, he's not my...” 

Ronnie Anne sighed and blushed.

“It's complicated... we're both like 12, we're too young to date anyway!”

“True,” said Maria, “but if you want to go out to play at the arcade, I won't stop you.”

“Mom!”

“What, you want me to be strict and not let you go out with boys?”

By now, Ronnie Anne's face was completely red, and Bobby leaned over and gave her a supportive look.

“C'mon guys, can't you see you're embarrassing her? If she doesn't want to talk about her boyfriend, she doesn't have to.”

Ronnie Anne just groaned, even though she already knew that all three of them knew about her feelings for Lincoln. Of course, Lincoln wasn't the only person Ronnie Anne was starting to develop feelings for, and with all the time she and Sid spent together, she was starting to suspect that they were picking up on those feelings too, even if none of them wanted to have that conversation just yet. 

“I'm so glad I get to spend all this time with all of you,” said Lori, nuzzling Bobby's face with hers while looking over at Maria and Ronnie Anne. “And thanks for always being so sweet to my little brother... he really does like you a lot.”

“I wasn't _always_ so sweet to him,” said Ronnie Anne, looking a bit guilty.

“Oh, I know,” said Lori.

“You just didn't know how to express your feelings, _mija_ ,” said Maria. “I'm so sorry... putting you through that divorce and then these past few weeks... both of you, you're both so brave and I'm so proud of you. I have the best children in the world.”

Maria leaned over and kissed Bobby's cheek, and then kissed Ronnie Anne's. They both held her close, and then Lori leaned in and kissed Bobby on the lips before Maria leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

“And maybe someday I'll have another one,” said Maria, smiling sweetly at Lori. Then, she looked at Ronnie Anne. “Who knows, maybe two.”

_Not for a LONG time_ , thought Ronnie Anne, still blushing from before.

“Thanks for everything... this family, this place has been like my home away from home while I've been at Fairway,” said Lori. 

“And you're always welcome here, Lori,” replied Maria. “You'll always be part of this family.”

“That's right, babe, I love you so much,” said Bobby, holding Lori close and kissing her again.

“Get a room, you two,” snickered Ronnie Anne. “Lori, I love your whole family... you, Lincoln, everybody.”

“Then you're a part of our family too, all of you,” said Lori. “I love you all...”

The four shared a hug together on the couch, with Lori reaching over and taking Ronnie Anne's hand to complete the embrace. They all nuzzled together, and the memories of the terrible ordeal they'd endured, at least temporarily, faded away, replaced by the warmth of the love they shared together.


End file.
